Epstein Offering Names to Plead Down Sex-Trafficking Charges

Wealthy and well-connected financier, Jeffrey Epstein was arrested on Saturday, July 6, 2019 as his private jet landed in New Jersey. He is being accused of operating a human-trafficking ring where underaged girls were sold to wealthy and elite men for sexual use.

He was first charged with similar sex crimes during a 2007 federal case in Miami, Florida where his attorneys successfully negotiated a non-prosecution agreement.

In that deal, Epstein was guaranteed no federal charges in exchange for pleading guilty to two state felonies related to prostitution. He registered as a sex offender and served much of his 13-month sentence outside of prison on a work-release program.

The former prosecutorial deal has been criticized by pundits, lawyers, and victims as too lenient. One of the actors facing the harshest criticism is former federal prosecutor who handled this case in 2007, Alexander Acosta. He is currently the Labor Secretary in the Trump administration and defended his actions pertaining to the past case in a press conference on Wednesday.

The Manhattan federal prosecutors are bringing new charges because they feel that the last case was only binding in Miami, Florida and that there is new evidence regarding these charges in Manhattan.

However, Epstein’s attorneys revealed on Monday that a core tenant of their defense will be questioning if these charges are appropriate considering double-jeopardy (i.e. trying the same case in court more than once) is unconstitutional and illegal.

Since his arrest this weekend, Epstein has been in the Manhattan detention center. Federal prosecutors have argued that it was a necessity to keep him in jail confinement because he had the ability to leave the country easily.

On top of these other measures, the defense’s bail package stipulates that Epstein will put his $77 million Manhattan mansion up on bail. This would then put his mansion in jeopardy if he was to skip his court date.

Prosecutors have stated they will make an official response regarding the bail by the end of this week. The judge will make a decision on this bail package on Monday, July 15.

At this point, it seems there will be more elites to fall in this corruption that is coming to light.

Shelby is a writer and reporter for The Libertarian Republic. She is a recent graduate of Missouri Southern State University where she studied political science and international politics. She was an intern for Austin Petersen’s Senate campaign and president of the Young Americans for Liberty chapter at MSSU. Email: [email protected]